Earrings having an adjustable slide on the front clamp



Nov. 19, 1957 z-r 2,813,407

EARRINGS HAVING AN ADJUSTABLE SLIDE ON THE FRONT CLAMP Filed Feb. 27, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. fMAA/UEL Z. 41927" Nov. 19, 1957 E. L. ARZT 2,813,407

EARRINGS HAVING AN ADJUSTABLE SLIDE ON THE FRONT CLAMP Filed Feb. 27, 1955 2 Sheets-She;t 2

INVENTORv fM/M/UEL L. ARZT JTTORNEKE 2,813,407" EARRINGE A NG N ADJUSTABLE L DE ON THE FRONT CLAMP Emanuel L. Arzt, New Yorlr Y. APPli E bm 1953, Se ial N s. 339 305 7 Claims. (Cl. 63-14) This'invention relates to improvements inearring construet-iont In applicants copending application, Serial No. 186,761, filed SeptemberZG, 1950, now PatentNumber 2,668,341, patented February 9, 1954, several forms of adjustable spring clipsfor earrings were described andillustrated: Subsequently it was found that with modification, the spring clips of-the aforesaid application could; be both pivotally locked intheearring frame andreadily adapted for either-pierced or-unpierced ears in coaction with adjustable slides for varying the position of the earring on the ear lobe. At present, most earrings are manufactured for unpierced ears. Frequently, the purchaser has pierced ears and-wishes immediate delivery of earrings suitable therefor. However, the vendor is unable to make immediate delivery because the otherwise acceptable earrings have to besent backto the-manufacturer for alteration. The-manufacturer, inturn, is required=todo much work in: order to adaptv the returnedlearrings to pierced ears.

It is ,anpbject of the instant invention-to. discloseanearring ;in=which; the tension of the springtclip can be varied i e h a m ei a edi sain tr l i aqua Another objectv is to disclose an earring; inw h the. spring clip is especially designed-,fqrtuse with'pier care;

An, additional. obje t s o is c z a ria e qu ak y adapted vto-either piercedorvunpierced ears.

A further object is, to disclose. earrings quickly and; properly adapted, to, ears, in which the piercingi has; been other than uniform.

Other. objects of; the instant invention will beeome; apparent in the, course of, thefollowing specification,

i In, the attainment of the-aforesaid objectives, the: inr proved earring is made infive forms. In: each-form, a; spring clip. of; special design, is pi votally v secured; at; one; nd f bas member o -t h int An upstandr. ing ornament arm is securedat the opposite endof the basemember andcoacts with the-spring clip inthe closed position thereof. In the firstvfour formsof'the irnp rpved, earring, an adjustable slide is secured ,in 7 any desired. posion onlthe r amntv mhy p in j ns n meanw e in the fifth form theslide is secured by clamping rneans In the first form, the slide is constituted of interlocking members-on theside of thespring clip, o ne of, the mem? bers carryin-g a wire designed tobe inserted through the pierced ear and thence through the spring clip in theclosedposition thereof. In the second form, the slide has a threaded opening on the side ofthe spring clip for the removable attachmentofa disc which also carries a Wire designed to beinserted through the pierced ear andthe spring clip. In. the-third form, the slide is designed fob the removable insertion of; a resilient member for use i witheither; pierced or unpierced cars. In the fourth faormflhev slide is equipped with an eccentricallyv mountedwirefor insertio thrqugh piereedears where; the piercingihas been other than, uniform, and; finally through the spring clip, The f fth, form differs from thepr eviously mentioned; first; four forms substantially in that the slide equipped SIM ent 2,813,407 Pate t N v- .9, 951

2: wire for passing through the pierced ear lobe is held by clamping means in any desired position on the ornament arm rather than by the spring tension means of the first four forms.

The invention will appear more clearlyfrom the fol lowing detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing by way of exam; ple the preferred embodiments of the inventive concept,

In the drawings;

Figuresl-l l show the first formof the improved ear ring with adjustable slide, for pierced earsconstructed in accordance w h e rinsinlss. eithi n ention. an le which:

Figure 1 is a jside view, of theearring;

Figure 2 is a right end view of the earring shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a left end view of the earring shown in Figure 1; i

Figure 4 is a sectional view along 44t o f'Fig ujre 3 but on an enlargedtscale;

Figure 5 is a sectional view along 5-5 of. Figure 2, also enlarged;

Figure 6 is a sectional view along 6-6 of Figure 1, likewise enlarged;

Figure 7 is a side view of the adjustable slide for pierced ears removedvfrom the earring shown in Figure 1;

Figure 8 is a side view, of the female member of the slide shown in Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a left end view of the female member shown in Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a side view of the malemernber of the slide shown in Figure 7;

Figure 11 is a right end view of the female member of:the slide shown in Figure 7;

Figure IZ is aneXpIoded perspective view of the sec ondfqrm of adjustable slide for pierced ears, enlar d;

Figures 1345 ;show the third form of adjustablesllcle f r, either P d, r ar eties ar d whi h;

Figure 13 is aside view 'ofthe slide, enlarged;

Figure 14 is .a left end View, of "the slide shown in Fig; ure 1 3'; and i i i Figure 15 is a i e w ta re iliantmamberd i n for removableinsertion in the slide shown in Figures 1 3 and 14;

F r 16 n 7 h w e. s r rmv diastable slide for cases where thepiercing of the ears haslbeed other than uniform, and-in which:

Figure 1 6 is an 'end'view o f the slide, er larged; and

Figure 7 plan i fv' h v lidqsflhq nia E ur q e Fighres 18-2 1; show the iifthform of adjustable slide for piercedears and'inwhichz Figure 1 8; isa side view of'the adjustable slide inpart, section and on an enlarged-scale; l

' igure 19 is a sectional view' along 19-719; ofFigure 18;

Figure 2 i e. View. 5 h? wr ns hQW t aF grra 1 w the adju e dev hpw in igure 18 n erted; and

Figure Z l is Figure 20.

Referring now in greater detail to the first forrr fof tlre improved earring shown in Figures 11 1, where like reference numerals indicate like parts, reference nurnerai 30 indicatesthe earring frame, arid 31 the adjustable slide for theframe.

a, left end' view of'the earring shown in The earring frame 30 ;is constituted of thebasemember;

32, thespring clipt33, and the upstanding ornament arm:

ber '37 designed to coact with the back of the ear lobe. Depending from each side of the top member 37 are the resilient side members 38 and 39 which are turned outwardly adjacent the bottom and pivotally inserted in. the previously mentioned aligned openings in the studs 35 and 36. Also depending from the top member 37 is the resilient tongue 40 which extends downwardly betweenlthe side members with the bottom of the tongue over the edge of a polygonal nut 61 (Fig. 4) eccentrically and pivotally secured to the top surface of the base member 32 inter mediate the studs 35 and 36 and below the aligned openings therein.

The polygonal nut 61 for varying the tension of the tongue and thence of the spring clip against the back of the ear lobe'in the closed position is described and illustrated in detail in the aforementioned copending application, Serial No. 186,761. However, since the polygonal nut 61 is eccentrically mounted below the aligned openings in the studs, that is, below the outwardly turned ends of the side members 38 and 39 of the spring clip, the side members were found to have a tendency to fall out of the aligned openings. Of course, the eccentrically mounted polygonal nut can not be extended upwardly and still be rotated for varying the tension of the tongue because of the outwardly turned bottoms of the side members. Hence, a disc 62 (Fig. 4) with a perimeter within that of the polygonal nut is fastened to the top surface of the nut and extended upwardly between the outwardly turned bottoms of the side members to lock the pivotal ends thereof in the aligned openings of the studs but leaving the nut free for turning. In the top surface of the disc 62 is a slot 63, so that the polygonal nut can be rotated by the disc when it is desired to vary the tension of the tongue While still looking the bottoms of the side members in the aligned openings.

In the tongue 40 is a longitudinal slot 41 (Fig. 3) through which the inner end of the wire inserted through the pierced ear is passed when the clip is in the closed position, as shown by the full lines in Figure 1. The open position of the spring clip is shown by the dot-dash lines of Figure '1 where it will be noted that the bottom of the tongue is over the bottom surface of the base member 32. To provide the essential spring action, the tongue alone could be formed from resilient material with the top and side members of other material.

The upstanding ornament arm 34 is an inverted U- shaped member of any suitable material. In the opposed sides 64 and 42 of the arm 34 is a plurality of spaced openings 43 parallel to the plane of the sides and which may be in aligned arrangement or in staggered relationship in one side relative to the-openings in the opposite side. Any suitable means may be used for securing the bottoms of the sides of the ornament arm to the base member 32, the means shown being a member 66 (Fig. 6) fixed to the free end of the base member 32. In the member 66 are the guideways 67 and 68. At the bottom, the sides 64 and 42 of the arm 34 are fixed to a support 65 on opposite sides of the recess 69, so that the sides of the arm at the bottom can be slidably inserted in the guideways 67 and 68 after the later described slides have been inserted in the arm. Such facilities for quickly removing the ornament arm from the base member are provided to permit the vendor to interchange readily the following described slides in accordance with the requirements of the purchaser.

The slide 31 (Fig. 7) adjustable in the previously described inverted U-shaped ornament arm 34 is constituted of an inner member 44 and an outer member 45 (Fig. 7). A bore 46 (Fig. is made through the inner member 44 for coacting with the previously mentioned spaced openings 43 formed in the side members 64 and 42 of the arm 34. As illustrated, the bore 46 is extended completely through the inner member 44, but only a partial bore could be used in coaction with the openings 43 in only one side of the arm 34. In opposite ends of the bore 46' are two like balls 47 which are maintained partially protruding through the ends of the bore by constricting the ends thereof. Both balls are maintained under outwardly directed tension by the spiral spring 48. Thus, only a portion of each ball protrudes through the opening for coaction with the previously mentioned spaced openings 43 in the side members 64 and 42 of the arm. By this construction, the slide can be held in any reasonably desired position relative to the base member 32, but, of course, other means for the vertical adjustment of the inner member could be readily devised as later shown.

The outer member (Fig. 7) is attached to the inner surface of the inner member 44, that is, on the side of the previously mentioned spring clip 33, by any known means, the attachment being made between the side members of the arm, so that the inner and outer members move together during adjustment.

The outer member 45 is constituted of the female member 49 (Figs. 8 and 9) and the male member 50 (Figs. 10 and 11).

The female member 49 is constituted of a disc or even an annular member 51 attached in a known manner to the inner surface of the inner member 44, as previously mentioned. On the inner surface of the disc 51, that is, the side toward the spring clip, is an annular spacer 52, and on the inner surface of the spacer 52 is an annular member 53. In the inner rim of the annular member 53 are the keyways 54 (Fig. 9).

The male member 50 (Figs. 10 and 11) is constituted of a disc 55 and on one side of which are the keys 56, 57,

and 58 designed to coact with the previously mentioned,

keyways 54, the keys being maintained in spaced parallel arrangement with the disc 55 by any suitable spacing means 59 (Fig. 10), the means and the disc and keys being.

fastened together in a known manner. On the opposite surface of the disc 55 is a wire 60, the free end of which is suitably blunted for passing through the pierced ear and thence through the longitudinal slot 41 (Figs. 1 and 3) in the previously described spring clip 33 when closed, as shown by the full lines in Figure 1. By the construction described and illustrated, the improved earring can be vertically adjusted on any pierced ear.

. and the outer member 72.

The inner member 71 is substantially the same as the previously described inner member 44 of the first form and has a ball 73 and a similar ball on the opposite side, not shown in the drawings, protruding through the slide under tension for coaction with the spaced openings 43 of the sides 64 and 42 of the previously mentioned inverted U-shaped ornament arm 34.

The outer member 72 is constituted of the female member 77 and the male member 78.

One side, the outer surface, of the female member 77 is fastened to the inner surface of the inner member 71, that is, on the side of the spring clip 33, so that the female member will be moved by the inner member in the vertical adjustment thereof without interference with the.

ornament arm. In the female member 77 is a threaded opening 74.

The male member 78 is constituted of a disc 75, the rim of which is threaded for attachment in the threaded opening 74 of the female member. On the inner surface of the disc 75, that is, the side toward the spring clip, is a wire 76 which after being passed through the pierced ear is slidably adjustable through the slot 41 of the spring clip 33 when closed.

In place of the slides of either of the previously mentioned first and second forms, the slide 80 (Figs. 13 and 14) of the third form may be used for either pierced or unpierced ears.

The slide 80 is constituted of the inner member ,81 and the outer. member 82.

The inner member 81 is the same as the previously described inner member 44 of the first form and the inner member 71 of the second form.

The outer member 82 is constituted of a disc 83, one side of which is attached, asdesired to the inner surface of the inner member 81 towbemoved thereby in the inverted Ushaped arm. In spaced relationship with the dise83 is the annular member 84-. Any suitable spacing means 88 maybe used for attachingthe .rim of the annular member to the rim of the disc,. so that the space between the disc and the annular member is enlarged relative to the inside diameter of the annular member.

As thus farv described and illustrated, the outer member is an operable structure adapted. for use with either pierced or unpierced ears. However, there canbe added to the outer member 82 a resilient member 85 (Fig. 15) of rubber or the like. The resilient member 85 has a disc86 of less-diameter and spaced from a disc 87, the discs being integrallyformed with theconstricted disc 89. The resiliency of the member permits the disc. 86 to be inserted through the opening in theannular member 84 between the disc 83 and the member 84 with the disc 87 superposed on the inner surface of thedisc 81 and especially adapted for use on sensitive ear lobes when the earring is attached.

In lieu of the previously described andillustrated three forms of slides, the slide 90 (Figs. 16 and 17.) of the fourth form can be used and is especially designed for those cases in which the piercing has been other than uniform in both ear lobes.

The slide 90-is constituted of the inner member 91 and the outer member 92.

Theinner member 91, adjustable in the inverted U- shaped ornament arm, is the same as the inner member of the previously described slides.

The outer member 92 is constituted of a disc 93eccentrically and pivotally secured to the inner member 91 on the side of the spring clip by any pivot pin 94 (Fig. '16), so that the disc 93 can be moved vertically in the slideway of the inverted U-shaped arm when the inner member 91 is moved therein. A second disc 96 is eccentrically and pivotally secured to the inner surface of the disc 93 by a pivot pin 97.

Extended inwardly from the second disc 96 is a wire 95 eccentrically attached to the second disc 96 and designed for insertion through thehpierced ear, and thence through the slot in the tongue when/the clip is closed. Reference numeral 98 (Fig. 17) shows a lock nut which may be threaded on the free end of the wire 95, the out being tightened againstthemongue after passing through the pierced ear and the slot 41 in the tongue.

Referring now to the fifth form of the improved earring shown in Figures 18-2l, reference numeral 33 indicates the spring clip, 32 the base member, 100 the inverted U-shaped ornament arm, and 101 the slide.

The spring clip 33 and the base member 32 are identical with the previously described corresponding parts of the first form.

The inverted U-shaped arm 100 differs from the arm of the previously described forms in that there are no spaced openings in the sides of the arm 100 for the spring tension adjustment of the following described slide which is vertically adjustable on the arm by clamping means. However, the means for the attachment of the arm to the base member 32 is the same as in the previously described forms.

The slide 101 is constituted of the female member 102 and the male member 103.

The female member 102 is constituted of the disc 104 designed to span the sides of the inverted U-shaped member. On the inner surface of the disc 104 is a square shank 105 having suitable dimensions for sliding between 6 the sides of the arm 100. The inner end of thesqu'are shank isinternally threaded as shown in Figure 18.

Coacting with the internally threaded shank 105 is the male member 103 formed Withthedisc 106* onthe outer surface of which is the externallythreaded protuberance 107 designed to be threaded in and out of the shank 105. On the opposite or free inner end of the disc 106 is a wire 108: which is inserted through the-pierced ear lobe and thence through thelslot 41 in the spring clip 33.

By suitably dimensioning the length of the protuberance 107 and the shank 105 and the depthof the threaded opening therein, the slide 101 can be vertically adjusted on the arm when the male member is threaded out of the female member and fastened in any desired position when the male member 103 is tightened against the inner surfaces of the arm The operation of the improved earrings will be apparent from-the foregoing detailed description and from which it will be apparent that the vendor to the retail trade has been provided with instrumentalities for quickly and properly attaching an earring to either pierced or unpierced ears; it

While only five forms of the improved earring have been describedand illustrated, the inverted U-shaped ornament arm could-be conveniently replaced with an upstanding barwith the interchangeable Slides reciprocable thereon. Thus,-it is possible to produce still other embodiments withoutdeparting from the inventive concept herein disclosed, and it is desired, therefore, that only such limitations beimposed on the appended claims as are stated therein,=or required by-the prior art.

What is claimed is:

1. An earring for pierced ears, the earring comprising a base member, said. base member having two upwardly directed and. aligned studs adjacent one end, the studs having aligned openings formed therein, a spring clip for the studs, said spring clip comprising a resilient top member, a resilient side memberdepending from opposite sides of said top member, said side members being turned outwardlyxat the bottom and .piv-otally secured in the aligned openings, a resilient tongue member depending from said. top ,member intermediate said side members, said tongue member. having-a longitudinal-slot formed therein and the bottom of said tongue member being adapted toextend over the end of said base member intermediate the studs in theclosed position of said spring clip and over the bottom of said base member in the open position of said clip, means on said base member in the closed position of-said clip and in .operable engagement with said tonguemember. and below the aligned openings for varying the spacing of said tongue member relative to the end of said basemember, and means on said first mentioned means and extending thereabove for retaining said side members in the aligned openings; the earring further comprising an upstanding arm coacting with the spring clip disposed at the opposite end of said. base member, said upstanding arm comprising an inverted U-shaped member, a slide for said inverted U-shaped member, projecting means mounted on the slide for passing through the opening in a pierced ear and the slot in said spring tongue and means on said slide ooacting with said inverted U-shaped member for adjustably securing said slide on said inverted U-shaped member whereby the ear lobe may be selectively engaged at different positions.

2. An earring for pierced ears according to claim 1 in which the means on said first mentioned means and extending thereabove for retaining said side members in the aligned openings comprises a disc disposed on said first mentioned means, said disc protruding upwardly intermediate the bottoms of said side members.

3. An earring according to claim 1 in which the inverted U-shaped member has spaced aligned openings formed therein and in which the slide comprises an inner member slidable in the inverted U-shaped member and coacting with the openings, said inner member having a bore formed therein, at least one end of the bore being adapted to be aligned with the spaced openings, at least one ball disposed in the bore and coacting with the opening, spring tension means for maintaining said ball under outwardly directed tension, a female member disposed on the inner surface of said inner member and adapted to be moved thereby, said female member comprising a disc, an annular spacer disposed on the inner surface of said disc, an annular member disposed on the inner surface of said spacer, said annular member having keyways formed in the inner periphery thereof, a male member coacting with said female member, said male member comprising a second disc, keys coacting with the keyways of said female member disposed on one side of said second mentioned disc and spaced therefrom, and wherein said projecting means consists of a wire member disposed on the opposite side of said second mentioned disc, said wire member coacting with the slot in the tongue in the closed position thereof and with the pierced ear of the wearer.

4. An earring according to claim 1 in which the inverted U-shaped member has spaced aligned openings formed therein and in which the slide comprises an inner member slidable in the inverted U-shaped member and coacting with the openings, said inner member having a bore formed therein, at least one end of the bore being adapted to be aligned with the spaced openings, at least one ball disposed in the bore and coacting with the openings, spring tension means for maintaining said ball under outwardly directed tension, a female member disposed on the inner surface of said inner member, said female member having a threaded opening formed in the inner sur face thereof, a male member coacting with said female member, said male member comprising a disc with threaded periphery coacting with the threaded opening in said female member, and wherein said projecting means consists of a wire member disposed on the inner surface of said disc, said wire member coacting with the slot in the tongue in the closed position of the spring clip and with the pierced ear of the wearer.

5. An earring according to claim 1 in which the inverted U-shaped member has spaced openings formed therein and in which the slide comprises an inner member slidable in the inverted U-shaped member and coacting with the openings, said inner member having formed therein a bore adapted to be aligned with the spaced openings, at least one ball disposed in the bore and protruding through one end thereof, spring tension means for maintaining said ball under outwardly directed tension, a disc disposed on the inner surface of said inner member and adapted to be moved thereby, an annular member for the inner surface of said disc, means for securing the rim of said disc to the rim of said annular member and adapted to maintain said members in spaced parallel arrangement and a resilient member removably disposed intermediate said disc and annular member, the inner surface of said resilient member being superposed on the inner surface of able in the inverted U-shaped member and coacting with the openings, said inner member having a bore formed therein, at least one end of the bore being adapted to be aligned with the spaced openings in one side of the inverted U-shaped member, at least one ball disposed in the bore and adapted to protrude through one end thereof, spring tension means for maintaining said ball under outwardly directed tension, a disc eccentrically and pivotally disposed on the inner surface of said inner member and adapted to be moved thereby, a second disc eccentrically and pivotally disposed on the inner surface of said first mentioned disc, and wherein said projecting means consists of a wire member eccentrically disposed on the inner surface of said second mentioned disc, said wire member coacting with the slot in the tongue in the closed position of the clip and with the pierced ear of the wearer.

7. An earring according to claim 1 in which the slide comprises a disc having a greater diameter than the perpendicular distance between the sides of the inverted U-shaped member and coacting with the outer surface thereof, a square shank disposed on the inner surface of said disc and slidably inserted between the sides of the inverted U-shaped member, the inner end of said square shank having a threaded opening formed therein, a second disc coacting with the inner surface of the inverted lJ-shaped member, the diameter of said second mentioned disc being greater than the perpendicular distance between the sides of the inverted U-shaped member, said second mentioned disc further having an externally threaded protuberance formed on the outer surface thereof, the protuberance coacting with the internally threaded shank.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 227,581 Rieger May 11, 1880 527,359 Bonner Oct. 9, 1894 1,419,021 Cicerchi June 6, 1 922 2,012,401 Placco Aug. 27, 1935 2,433,711 Schober Dec. 30, 1947 2,509,726 Douvergne May 30, 1950 2,583,988 Ballou Ian. 29, 1952 2,668,341 Arzt Feb. 9, 1954 

